-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Call David X. Cohen a nerd all you like , but never call him a geek . To the co-creator of `` Futurama , '' the term `` nerd '' is a compliment .

`` I feel like with ` nerd culture , ' -LSB- it sounds like -RSB- the nerds have triumphed , '' he said . ` Geek ' has a negative connotation . I 'd rather be called a nerd . I love being called a nerd . ''

Back in 2003 , this particular nerd could n't believe it was all over for `` Futurama . ''

`` When we were canceled by Fox , we thought that was it , '' Cohen recalled . `` We really did n't have any expectations at the time . It was really emotional because we spent four years locked in a dark room working on the show . I went on with my life and wrote a couple of pilots . ''

As the years went by , the network Adult Swim -LRB- a Time Warner property , along with CNN -RRB- started airing reruns of `` Futurama '' along with `` Family Guy . ''

`` Family Guy 's '' ratings and DVD sales convinced Fox to give it a second chance , and the rest is history . `` Futurama 's '' ratings were similarly high , and once `` Family Guy '' started putting feature-length episodes on DVD , a light bulb went off in Cohen 's head .

'' ` Family Guy ' blazed the trail with direct-to-DVD movies and got back on the air , '' he said . `` We called Fox and told them every six months that , hey , ` Futurama ' is even more fitting for direct-to-DVD . ''

Finally , in 2007 , fans had their `` Futurama '' back , in not one , but four direct-to-DVD movies . As a result of those sales , Comedy Central is starting a new season of the show on Thursday night .

The first order of business : wrapping up what happened at the end of the last movie , when Fry , Leela , Bender and the rest of the crew were sucked into a wormhole .

`` Our first episode is ` Rebirth , ' which is metaphorical but a surprisingly literal term -- our crew members are going to suffer some serious physical harm , '' Cohen explained . `` Not for the squeamish , necessarily , but we will see the rebirth process as science has it in the year 3000 . ''

The most exciting new thing about this season of `` Futurama , '' according to Cohen , is that it 's , well , new . `` I want to reassure our fans that this will be the real classic ` Futurama ' back to its original form . They supported us , and we want to repay them . ''

For fans who are probably wondering what happened between Fry and Leela , last seen kissing before that climactic trip , Cohen said their questions will be answered , all in good time : `` We 're going to be dealing with the surprising sci-fi consequences of that relationship . ''

Former Vice President Al Gore will also provide his voice , once again , just in time for the holidays .

`` The holiday special 's going to focus on the future versions of Christmas , Kwanzaa and ` Robanukah , ' which Bender made up to get off of work . Gore will make his record-breaking fourth guest appearance , '' Cohen said . `` We will have the classic pairing of Gore and Coolio , making his third appearance , playing Kwanzaa-bot . ''

`` Futurama '' also has a big milestone to celebrate , thanks to that Comedy Central pickup : `` We will have our 100th episode with Mark Mothersbaugh and Devo . Leela leads the mutant people who live under the sewers in an uprising against the surface people . ''

iReporters love Futurama

So what kind of brain power does it take to write a show with so many jokes revolving around nerdy topics ?

`` My master 's degree -LSB- in physics and theoretical computer science -RSB- puts me in the middle of the pack -- we have had three science PhDs in our writers room , so no one is impressed with my master 's degree , '' Cohen joked .

`` We do sneak in a high-level math or physics equation , and we know few people get them , but they are hidden in the background , and we 'll reward a few viewers and hopefully make them lifelong ` Futurama ' fans . ''

One example of such nerdy humor will actually come to the forefront in the near future .

`` Our tenth episode of the new season is written by Dr. Ken Keeler , and it involves the characters switching minds , and it becomes very complicated due to the nature of this to work our way back to the original body , and requires solving a mathematical problem , '' Cohen explained . `` Ken actually proved a theorem critical to resolving the episode . We 're going to present a ` Futurama ' theorem . ''

Cracking jokes and breaking new scientific ground at the same time ? Fans of `` Futurama , '' nerdy or otherwise , would n't want it any other way .

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Seven years after being canceled by Fox , `` Futurama '' is back -- on Comedy Central

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Co-creator David X. Cohen : '' -LSB- Fans -RSB- supported us and we want to repay them ''

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Cliffhanger from the end of the direct-to-DVD movies will be resolved

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Former Vice President Al Gore plays himself for the fourth time